fish finders. Again :)

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:56 pm

http://forums.sideimagingsoft.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That might be a helpful link for questions on Hummingbird..... Hummingbird is a fine product! No arguments here.

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 7:00 pm

LOL Pretty complicated issue I suppose with so much available on the market. Maybe the best way to approach it would be what's the best sounder/plotter available for the max of $500? Give or take $100.. LOL

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:41 pm

Thanks Res! I kept looking at units out there and quickly found complete combos including radar for less than 2 grand.. LOL I quickly got out of control looking at these. That HDS 7 is expandable, HDI maybe not...

fishinChristian · Post by **fishinChristian** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:47 am

I like my 898, and the 598 on the pontoon. Some pretty good online deals available. I too had some problems with Lowrance, and their support wasn't stellar, though the unit while working was just as good. Those 'new this year' units that are top of the line seem like they have too much on them, and quite a price. The graphics are pretty awesome, but I want time to fish as well as watch the screen.
Unless you get a lemon, I don't really think you can go wrong.

ResQ · Post by **ResQ** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 12:30 pm

Ok. After some time at cabelas getting my boat warranty work done, I had some time to spend at the fish fider counter. I have made my descision! Drum roll..... LOWRANCE Elite 7 HDI. While two hundred more, the added screen was quite impressive. Compared and played with the dragonfly, 5 and 7. Pretty excited to strap this puppy on!

ResQ · Post by **ResQ** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 12:32 pm

Oh and thanks AMX and Mark! Your words of wisdom kept rolling through my head as I looked at the 5 to also look at the larger screen. Big difference and I will be happier in the long. (And short) lol

Post by **Amx** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 12:36 pm

Congrats.

Back in1988 I put 2 Humminbird 8000s on my Bass Tracker. I really liked the bigger screens for regular non-zoom use on one half, and one side with zoom. So that's why a year plus ago I bought as big as I could afford at the time. Much easier to see things with a bigger screen, expecialy when you have 2 or 3 panels showing.

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:09 pm

ResQ wrote:Ok. After some time at cabelas getting my boat warranty work done, I had some time to spend at the fish fider counter. I have made my descision! Drum roll..... LOWRANCE Elite 7 HDI. While two hundred more, the added screen was quite impressive. Compared and played with the dragonfly, 5 and 7. Pretty excited to strap this puppy on!

That's a real good unit! Glad to help, I need to learn a bit more about them before I pull the trigger.
http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/ ... en-us.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:53 pm

This really is a thread that could go on forever. LOL There is soooo much information out there. The options are near endless. Different FF setups apply to so many different fisheries. From your basic sounders to systems including radar and AIS, the term FF isn't just about finding fish anymore. It's so much more than that now.
If it works as advertised, I can see where side imaging could assist with salmon and tuna fishing... even though I'm not looking at bottom structure, I'm looking for suspended fish. For me, I need to know more.
http://www.in-fisherman.com/2013/01/08/ ... n-imaging/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **kodacachers** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:07 pm

I'll try to extend the discussion even past forever by adding yet another technology to the mix: I'm looking at the Lowrance HDS-7. The touch screen version is about $400 more than the non-touch screen. Has anyone compared the two (I spent all my time at the boat show comparing Lowrance to Garmin instead of within the Low. line).

Post by **Amx** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:18 pm

I have a touch 12" and a 2nd gen non touch 10"

Sometimes it's easier/quicker to use to touch for a quick waypoint and such.

Sometimes it's easier to find something in the menu with the non touch. But I've had the non touch for 15 months and the touch for 5 months without much fishing this winter. This summer will tell the tail on which I like best, but I can see where they both have their advantages when on either the bow or console and if you have to find something quick in the menu, or a quick change of panel to do something like zoom the downscan, or side scan, or zoom in on the chart while getting close to the waypoint I want to fish.

I do like them both, and the screen on the touch doesn't get as bad/dirty/smuggie as I thought it might, but a couple times I have had to clean it while using it and have been doing a lot of experimenting/adjusting/playing with it. But as I mentioned I'm getting another 12" so the smugges can't be all that bad. The non touch gets smugged a little also.

kokapaw · Post by **kokapaw** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:53 pm

Sportsmen s Warehouse has the Hummingbird 598 on sell right now not a bad price.

ResQ · Post by **ResQ** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 7:08 pm

Not a bad looking unit. Although for just a touch more I would get the raymarine dragonfly. Then for a touch more you can get the HDI 7

Then you step into the HDS arena haha. I had the discussion about the HDS and the giant perk of the HDS Mark is that they are expandable to radar. If I were to go that route (radar) then the HDS hands down. But I dont really see the need and when its time, I can just use both setups and be cool like AMX :-D I was very impressed however with the raymarine dragonfly. Very clear view screen. Id say the clearest of the bunch! If I had a hard topped or windshield boat to offer a tad more protection to the unit, it would be that one hands down for the medium sized finders. The HDI however in the 7 inch screen was the cats pajamas. In 5 inch range I would get the dragonfly. Even over the HDI. Discussing finders with the cabelas guy, he explained that humminbird, while a decent unit was geared more so towards freshwater use. It can be used in salt but it really was made more for fresh. Makes sense why you dont see many charters with humminbird. The stock maps on the HDI were actually pretty good! I was expecting a hot mess but it had great lines and depths to all the washington lakes on up to neah and Seiku. I get my unit friday, so in a way I am still deciding but very set on the HDI 7 after all the hands on action today. For the record, if anyone is considering a 5 series in a combo, they are incredibly small and would be hard to read. All except the dragonfly which is a 5.7 inch and the whole thing was a vibrant usable screen.

Post by **Amx** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 7:18 pm

Another thing that swayed me towards a touch screen is that you can plug in your underwater camera and see the view on a much bigger screen. These are only the 9" and 12" units. Of course you have to have a camera that has a port for connecting to an outside monitor. But now I'll have to get a new underwater camera.

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 8:23 pm

Thanks Res! Expandable to radar on the HDS.... not the HDI.... That HDI is expandable to a lot of stuff though, I read. Just check before pulling the trigger! LOL No regrets! LOL

For me, the extra cost for the touch puts it out of the arena of what I'm willing to spend. But those are some incredible units. Lots of youtube vids cover intros of diff brands.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... wwaRONdVA0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 8:35 pm

http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/ ... en-us.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/ ... en-us.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ResQ · Post by **ResQ** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 7:25 pm

Lowrance Elite 7 HDI + Navionics lakes maps (x2) and cover are on and running! Hoping to get out sunday and I will take some screen shots of the Down Scan! Oh and to top it off, a very nice gentleman that works at Cabelas gave me a 20$ off coupon for a smelt dip net for tomorrow! Double score :-D

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 8:40 pm

ResQ wrote:Lowrance Elite 7 HDI + Navionics lakes maps (x2) and cover are on and running! Hoping to get out sunday and I will take some screen shots of the Down Scan! Oh and to top it off, a very nice gentleman that works at Cabelas gave me a 20$ off coupon for a smelt dip net for tomorrow! Double score :-D

Congrats ResQ! Very nice piece of equipment there.... only suggestion, sit in the boat while in your driveway and go through the manual some pushing some buttons.... time well spent!

ResQ · Post by **ResQ** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:03 pm

Oh I am an avid driveway boater lol I spent about an hour in Cabelas with a guy who actually knew what he was talking about and going over the functions. I even taught him how to do the down scan overlay! He didnt think it possible. I am a firm believer of hands on practice, so I will be going out early on Sunday and check out some spots!

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fish finders. Again :)

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